New York travel agency owner Zhang Dongmei was accused of running an illegal massage parlor in Louisiana. After a hearing on August 28 regarding her extradition to Louisiana for trial, there was a dramatic turnaround. The judge made a decision that had not been made in over a decade, unprecedentedly agreeing to grant bail to Zhang Dongmei. Later that night, there was another surprise—prosecutors notified that Louisiana had agreed to drop all charges against her, erase her arrest record, and clear her name.
On August 29, lawyer Chen Mingli, who represented Zhang Dongmei in this case, along with the “Asian American Bar Association” that assisted her, held a press conference to explain the situation. Zhang Dongmei was suspected of identity theft and running an illegal massage parlor in Louisiana, though she had never been there nor had any financial transactions related to it. Despite suggestions to switch to a Caucasian lawyer, her family insisted on choosing the familiar Chen Mingli to represent her.
During the extradition hearing at the Orange County Court in New York, Chen Mingli passionately and sincerely presented his case with careful logic for nearly half an hour. He stated, “From emotions to ethics, morals, laws, family, friends, support, I presented arguments from various aspects, and the judge listened very attentively.”
Chen Mingli also mentioned that even though the New York court only dealt with the extradition process to Louisiana, the actual case should be tried there. However, based on the advice and insistence of Zhang Dongmei’s family, he requested the release of the defendant, which was groundbreaking and innovative.
The eloquence of Chen Mingli’s arguments moved everyone present, and in the afternoon, the judge agreed to release Zhang Dongmei on bail, with the condition of posting a $40,000 bond and surrendering her passport. Chairman of the Asian American Bar Association, Yanfei Ran, said, “The deputy prosecutor from that office told Zhang Dongmei twice, ‘You have found the right lawyer.'”
Later that evening, a more surprising outcome emerged. After contacting the New York prosecutor with the Louisiana authorities, Louisiana agreed to completely drop all charges against Zhang Dongmei, expunge her arrest record, and fully refund the bail amount.
Zhang Dongmei’s husband, Yi Gai, expressed his relief, stating that he was most grateful for not changing the lawyer and knowing that his wife had not committed those acts. This gave him confidence and a calm mindset, saying, “Confidence in winning comes from the truth.”
Lawyer Yanfei Ran mentioned that this case demonstrated the unity of the Chinese community with the motto “One in trouble, eight in support.” During the 23 days of Zhang Dongmei’s detention (from August 5 to August 28), friends visited her every day in two shifts, with three people in each shift, driving back and forth for four hours to see her. During the hearing, over 50 people showed up in court to show their support.
“This case also illustrates the fairness of the American justice system,” Yanfei Ran stated. The patience of the judge in listening to the lawyer’s arguments, the unwavering commitment of the judge and prosecutors to judicial justice, along with compassion instead of mechanical procedural handling, ensured that this case saw the light of justice in a short span of 23 days.